Gravity-hinge.



E. D. WHBELOOK & B. T. CUBINE.

GRAVITY HINGE.

- Patented Feb. 21, 1911.

WITNESSES.-

in s'rarns ran K Eri ELTON D. WHEELOCK, OF BEATRICE, NEBRASKA, AND BURTT. CIIIBINE, OF KANSAS CITY, MISSOURI.

GRAVITY-HINGE.

"for its object the production of a hinge whereby the gravitativetendency of the door or its equivalent carried by the hinge, shall beutilized in automatically effecting its closing movement.

A further object is to produce a hinge of this character which willoffer a uniform resistance during the entire opening move ment of thedoor and thus prevent the latter from swinging open under a windpressure insufficiently strong to overcome the gravitative tendency ofthe door.

A still further object is to produce a hinge of simple, strong, durableand cheap construction which can be secured in position as easily andquickly as an ordinary hinge.

lVith these objects in view and others as hereinafter appear, theinvention consists in certain novel and peculiar features ofconstruction and organization as hereinafter described, and claimed, andin order that it may be fully understood reference is to be had to theaccompanying drawing, in which Figure 1, is a perspective view of ahinge embodying our invention. Fig. 2, is a view of the same as securedto a door and door casing, the former being shown about half opened.Fig. 3, is a face view of the hinge as equipped with a spring forfacilitatlng the closing movement of the door. is a vertical section ofthe casing and door when the latter is fully opened, the section beingtaken on the line IVIV of Fig. 5. Fig. 5, is a horizontal section on theline V-V of Fig. 4.

In the said drawing 1 indicates a hinge constructed as follows :2 areduplicate hinge plates each provided with the customary holes 3 and itsopposite ends with outwardly projecting flanges 4 and 5, the flange 4tapering by preference from the inner edge of the plate toward the outerSpecification of Letters Patent.

Application filed October 24, 1910.

Fig. 4, 1

Serial No. 588,928.

edge of the same and the flange 5 from the outer edge of the platetoward the inner edge thereof. The plates are then arranged in invertedposition with respect to each other, so that the inner ends of theflanges 4; shall lie between the inner ends of flanges 5. 6 indicatesthe hinge pin or pintle extending through the overlapped ends of saidflanges and the ends of said pins or pintles are preferably upset toproduce heads 7,to guard against accidental dislocation of the hinge pinor pintle. The flanges 5 near diagonally opposite corners of the hingeare stamped as at 8 to produce the rounded sockets 9 in their innerfaces,

and fitting at its opposite ends in said sockets is a stiff lift pin 10.

In practical use, the plate or member 2 whose flange 4 underlies theflange 5 of the companion member, is secured by screws 11, to the doorcasing like an ordinary hinge, the other member is secured by screws 11to the door and when the latter is closed, the plates or members of thehinge occupy the relation shown by Figs. 1 and 3. As the door swingsopen the angularity of the rod 10 is diminished, and in its approach toan upright position, it lifts the door carrying hinge member as will bereadily seen by reference to Figs. 2 and 4, and it will be apparent thatas soon as the door is released, it will swing back to closed position,the angularity of the lift rod decreasing until the door is fullyclosed, the flanges of the door carrying member are again in engage mentwith the flanges of the companion member.

From the foregoing it will be apparent that because it is impossible forthe door to be opened without incidentally rising under the liftingaction of the rod 10, the weight of the door is utilized in holding itin closed position, and that because of this fact it cannot be swungopen even if unlatched, under the pressure imposed by a draft of windthrough the house.

If it is desired to effect a quicker automatic closing of the door thanis possible through its gravitative action as described, a coiled spring14; is mounted upon the hinge pin or pintle between the flanges 4, whichspring will be compressed as the door is opened so as to exert adownward pressure on the door carrying member and thus facilitate theclosing action thereof. If de- Patented Feb. 21, 1911. i

sired the coiled spring may be provided with terminals 15 to bearagainst the outer faces of the hinge members so that as the door isopened and the member secured there to rises, it will not only compressthe spring endwise but will increase its tension by torsional action.The chief function of the spring will be to give the door a quick startin its closing movement as without the spring the initial part of theclosing movement is relatively slow.

From the above description it will be apparent that we have produced ahinge possessing the features of advantage enumerated as desirable andwhile we have illustrated and described the preferred embodiment of theinvention we wish it to be understood that we do not desire to berestricted to the exact details of construction shown and described asobvious modifications will suggest themselves to one skilled in the art.

We claim 1. A hinge, comprising a pair of members prot ided withoutwardly projecting flanges at their ends with the inner end of eachflange of one member above the inner end of the corresponding flange ofthe other member, a hinge pin extending through said inner ends of theflanges and of greater length than the members, and a lift pin bearing apivotal relation to said members and extending from the outer lowercorner of one member to the outer upper corner of the companion member.

2. A. hinge, comprising a pair of members provided with outwardlyprojecting flanges at their ends with the inner end of each flange ofone member above the inner end of the corresponding flange of the othermember, the outer end of the lower flange of one member and the outerend of the upper flange of the other member having upwardly anddownwardly opening sockets respectively, a hinge pin extending throughsaid inner ends of the flanges and of greater length than the members,and a lift pin fitting pivotally at its ends in the said sockets of thesaid members.

3. A hinge, comprising a pair of members provided with outwardlyprojecting flanges at their ends with the inner end of each flange ofone member above the inner end of the corresponding flange of the otherlength than the members, a left pin bearing a pivotal relation to saidmembers and extending from the outer lower corner of one member to theouter upper corner of the companion member, and a spring exertingdownward pressure upon the member with which the upper end of the liftpin is pivotally engaged.

4:. A hinge, comprising a pair of members, provided with outwardlyprojecting flanges at the inner end of each flange of one member abovethe inner end of the corresponding flange of the other member, a hingepin extending through said inner ends of the flanges and of greaterlength than the members, a lift pin bearing a pivotal relation to saidmembers and extending from the outer lower corner of one member to theouter upper corner of the companion member, and a coiled spring fitting011 the hinge pin and bearing at its lower end upon the lower flange ofthe member with which the upper end of the lift pin is engaged and atits upper end against the upper flange of the other member.

5. A hinge, comprising a pair of members, provided with outwardlyprojecting flanges at the inner end of each flange of one member abovethe inner end of the corresponding flange of the other member, a hingepin extending through said inner ends of the flanges and of greaterlength than said members, a lift pin bearing a pivotal relation to saidmembers and extending from the outer lower corner of one member to theouter upper corner of the companion member, and a coiled spring fittingon the hinge pin and bearing at its lower end upon the lower flange ofthe member with which the upper end of the lift pin is engaged and atits upper end against the upper flange of the other member, and providedwith arms bearing against the outer faces of said members.

In testimony whereof we aflix our signatures, in the presence of twowitnesses.

ELTON D. WHEELOCK. BURT T. CUBINE.

Witnesses:

HELEN C. Ronenns, G. Y. THORPE.

inner ends of the flanges, and of greater 5

